A visit from a Shipmate

Monday

Today is an exciting day.  Kim a former shipmate of mine on the USS Guadalcanal LPH-7 is coming to visit with his dog Raven.  They arrived in the area sometime yesterday and will be over to the house today.  Kim came aboard way back in the 70's to run communications tests using satellites which were brand new at the time.  After the testing he was able to stay onboard and we became good friends.  Kim was also in our wedding when Bonnie and I got married so this is his second visit to the area.

Kim

Raven

Well we had a great time today catching up on the last 30 years.  We both have led good lives and it was fun to reconnect and recall some of our time together in the Navy.  Raven was a delight and once Bonnie got home she sat with her the rest of the afternoon.  The day passed quickly and before I knew it I had to head to court.  Kim came along and observed for a while and Raven stayed with Bonnie.  I told Kim to feel free to leave when he got bored.  He hung on longer than I might have.  I had a long night at court and now its just after midnight so I am heading to bed.

Tuesday

I woke up to another beautiful day today, had my breakfast and finally got the checkbook to balance.  I gave up at midnight last night.  I ended up finding 2 double entries, I'm still learning iBank.  Bonnie got up and had her breakfast, she was looking forward to seeing Raven again.  Soon Kim and Raven came and Raven seemed very happy to come back and see us.  Kim and I took off to run a few errands and visit some of the area.  Bonnie was more than happy to have Raven stay with her.

Bonnie is happy to have Kim and Raven visit

Kim went with me to the bank and post office and then we headed for Java Village.  Back in June of 1971 was the last time Kim was in Java Village, he stood up with us at our wedding.  We went to see the church and we were lucky.  The church was open as a new stair lift was being installed.  Kim said he remembered the church and we reminisced  about the day.

Last stood here with me in a Tux June 12, 1971

We made a quick stop at court and then headed for Attica.  We drove by the prisons and talked about remembering the riots back in the late 70's.  Then we headed for the Prospector for lunch.  We both had Beef on Weck, Kim's first.  Kim was hoping to get to Columbus, Ohio today so we headed home with a quick stop at the site of the POW and CCC camps for a picture.

Raven was happy to see us and after saying our good-bys they headed out for Columbus.  We had a really good visit, Kim and I worked well together in the Navy and it was great to see him after all theses years.   I had a few calls to make and was able to get that done and then I caught up on some rest and TV.  Tomorrow is trash day and so I took that out.  Bonnie spent several hours looking for black berries and came back with about 3 cups.

Wednesday

We were up this morning and after breakfast we both headed out.  Bonnie had a Dr appointment, drop off movies for Elizabeth, and deposit a check.  I had work to do at court so I headed up there.  We both ended up getting home almost at the same time.  I had what I thought was a ham sandwich but it was canadian bacon, it was good never the less.  I dozed a little and then headed outside.  I needed to clean out the basement bays on the Coach and vacuum them to clean up the mouse droppings that we found along with a dead mouse over the weekend.  The Decon did its job.  I also wanted to find some roof deflappers for a camping buddy.

Found the deflappers to hold his awning tight.

As I was sending him a picture he called.  They are on the way to a wedding in their coach and the transmission on their towed car overheated and was smoking like a fire when they pulled in to a rest area.  Three state workers came running with fire extinguishers.  No fire just smoke and they are safe.  AAA picked up the car and took it to Ford, they were able to continue to the wedding.

I finished the clean up and ordered an electronic pest repeller so will give that a try in the bays, we have one up in the coach.  I repacked the bays.  The CR-V really needed washed, but it was hot and humid.  But got the hose out and washed the outside.

It looks so nice now

We have been seeing bees going into the stone wall outside the basement door and yesterday I could hear them buzzing.  They do not seem real aggressive but it was time to take care of them.  So I sprayed them and today I see a bunch of them dead on the pavers.  I did see one bee looking for his nest.

Hard to see dead bees

Late afternoon when I went back in the house.  Bonnie wanted me to cook pork steaks for supper and partially cook some ribs to go in the crock pot.  While the grill was heating I used my adapter to fill some small green propane cans from my bigger tank.  It worked pretty good.  I had to put the empty bottles in the freezer for a while first and they fill them as soon as I took them out.

The Pork Steaks were good

 Bonnies were not crispy enough for her so she took hers back out to cook more after the ribs came off the grill.

Ribs waiting their turn

More ribs for the grill

 I weighed the empty propane bottle and then again after it was filled.  I got almost the whole 16oz into the bottle so I guess the adapter works as advertised.  One more test and that is to use the bottles.

15.2 out of 16oz pretty good

Well thats about it for today, will watch a little TV tonight and then call it a night.

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